Shearman & Sterling represented Banco de Chile and LQ Inversiones Financieras S.A. in connection with an $829,000,000 global secondary public offering of 6,700,000,000 common shares of Banco de Chile. The shares were sold by LQ Inversiones Financieras S.A. through a book auction on the Santiago Stock Exchange. The shares were sold in Chile through Chilean placement agents and sold outside of Chile through international underwriters in the form of American Depositary Shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The international underwriters were led by Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

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Simpson Thacher represented Initial Purchasers, Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc, UBS AG, Hong Kong Branch, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and China Minsheng Banking Corp. Ltd. Hong Kong Branch, in connection with a 144A and Regulation S offering of US$150 million 11.75% Guaranteed Senior Notes due 2019 by Favor Sea Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of China XD Plastic Company Limited (“China XD”).  The Notes are unconditionally guaranteed China XD on a senior basis and were rated ‘‘BB–’’ by Fitch Inc. and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services.  The Notes are listed and quoted on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited.

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A team of McGuireWoods lawyers, led by Charlotte partners Harrison Marshall, Chris Scheurer and Rick Viola, represented Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc. (formerly NYSE: HTSI) in connection with its merger with a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR). Under the terms of the merger agreement, Harris Teeter shareholders will receive $49.38 per share of Harris Teeter common stock. The all-cash transaction, which closed on Jan. 28, 2014, is valued at approximately $2.5 billion. More >>

A Weil team is representing Lenovo in its definitive agreement with Google to acquire the Motorola Mobility smartphone business. With a leading PC business and a fast-growing smartphone business, this agreement will significantly strengthen Lenovo’s position in the smartphone market. In addition, Lenovo will gain a robust market presence in North America and Latin America, as well as a foothold in Western Europe, to complement its strong, fast-growing smartphone business in emerging markets around the world. More >>

Cahill represented the joint book-running managers in the Rule 144A offering of $760,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.00% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2019 by BlueLine Rental Finance Corporation. The transaction was completed in connection with acquisition of Volvo Construction Equipment Rents, LLC (to be named BlueLine Rental upon consummation of the acquisition), by private equity firm Platinum Equity.

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Clifford Chance has advised Deutsche Bank, ICBC and Standard Chartered Bank as joint lead managers on the issuance of bonds by Volkswagen International Finance. The transaction has a volume of CNY1.2 billion (approx. EUR144.5 million). The bonds are guaranteed by Volkswagen AG.

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Davis Polk is advising Smith & Nephew plc in connection with its approximately $1.7 billion proposed acquisition of ArthroCare Corp. The acquisition will be subject to customary conditions, including a vote of ArthroCare’s shareholders and governmental clearances. Pending the satisfaction of such conditions, Smith & Nephew anticipates closing the transaction in mid-2014.

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International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised the underwriters on the global offering and listing of HK Electric Investments on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which commenced trading today. More >>

Kutak Rock LLP is negotiating and drafting transactional documents needed to sell the State of Illinois’ $1 billion general obligation bonds. On February 6, Illinois will sell tax-exempt bonds with a 25-year maturity.

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Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that it represented J.P. Morgan, Barclays and UBS Investment Bank as joint-book running managers and the other underwriters in connection with the initial public offering of 31 million ordinary shares of CHC Group Ltd., the world’s largest commercial operator of helicopters, resulting in gross proceeds of $310 million. More >>